Bontoc, Mountain Province – The Oplan Suma-ar (NCR Edition) scheduled on June 18, 2020, to provide free transportation to Ifontok residents stranded in the National Capital Region (NCR) and outside NCR who wish to come home to Bontoc, Mountain Province will push through.
This was the consensus of the Municipal Inter-Agency Task Force (MIATF) chaired by Bontoc Mayor Franklin C. Odsey, Mountain Province Congressman Maximo Y. Dalog, Jr., Medical Center Chief I Dr. Eduardo B. Calpito of the Luis Hora Memorial Regional Hospital (LHRMH), Provincial Health Officer II Dr. Nenita D. Lizardo, Provincial Health Officer I Dr. Carolyn Yawan, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer Edward Chumawar, Jr., during their meeting on June 11, 2020, at the Bontoc Municipal Capitol.
The members of the MIATF present during the meeting are Sangguniang Bayan members Alsannyster Patingan and Jerome Tudlong Jr., Municipal Health Officer Dr. Diga Kay Gomez, Municipal Local Government Operations Officer Lourdes Claire Peel, Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer Johanna Padaen, Municipal Legal Officer Seichi Ofo-ob, Administrative Officer IV Ross Kiat-ong of the Office of the Municipal Agriculturist, and Jail Officer I Percing Cawaren of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).
The agreement was in consideration of the stranded kakailyan in the NCR who have been unemployed and whose livelihoods were affected since the pandemic has started.
Also, allowing the entry of public transportation in Mountain Province coming from other provinces and other places outside the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) by the concerned government agencies is expected in the ensuing days, thus resulting in the influx of stranded kakailyan from other places to come home. The Oplan Suma-ar (NCR Edition) is seen as a preventive and precautionary measure against the spread of the Coronavirus disease – 2019 (Covid-19).
The MIATF and the concerned agencies present during the meeting explained that through the Oplan Suma-ar (NCR Edition), there is an effective, efficient and orderly monitoring of LSIs who will be coming home and the mandatory 14-day quarantine period is assured.
As agreed, all LSIs who registered and were accommodated in the Oplan Suma-ar (NCR Edition) will be triaged in the basement of the Bontoc Municipal Capitol by the personnel of the Rural Health Unit and will be escorted to the LGU Quarantine Facilities where they will be quarantined for 14 days.
In addition, all the LSIs will be swabbed for Covid testing. Also, the Bontoc LGU shall provide the food rations of the LSIs during the 14-day duration of their quarantine to ensure that no visitors will be allowed in the Quarantine Facilities except for RHU personnel who will conduct monitoring.
The Oplan Suma-ar (NCR Edition) is a joint activity of the Bontoc Local Government Unit (LGU) and the Office of the Congressman- Mountain Province in response to the clamor of kakailyan from Mountain Province who are stranded in the NCR to come home since the placement of the entire Luzon to Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) on March 16, 2020, and shifting of different areas to General Community Quarantine (GCQ) and Modified General Community Quarantine.
During the meeting, Odsey solicited the assistance and support of the Provincial Government of Mountain Province through the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), Provincial Health Office (PHO) and the Department of Health through the LHRMH in the implementation of the Oplan Suma-ar (NCR Edition).
By Alpine L. Killa
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